After starting out in Houston, Texas, in 2005, then spending two years in San Jose, California, The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) is coming to Portland, Oregon. It is a fitting home coming for a show that has emerged as the world’s showcase for custom-built frames. Portland is widely considered to be the best place in America to ride a bike. It is also home to a growing industry cluster, including frame builders, component and accessory manufacturers, and a local government that is willing to invest to keep the momentum going.

On Sunday, February 10, 2008, Ready to Ride will host a live panel discussion at NAHBS. Getting Ready to Ride Centuries and Beyond will feature a stellar line-up of experienced long distance cyclists. Our goal is to provide road cyclists with a rapid introduction to the most exciting areas of sport-recreational cycling. Access to the workshop is included in the price of show admission, which is $15 in advance or $18 at the door.

Riders who are interested in tackling longer, more challenging routes want to avoid the most common mistakes. The panel includes a line-up of accomplished road riders who are actively involved with many of the most noteworthy cycling events in the Western United States. They will share their experiences to help riders focus on the fundamentals to get them up to speed in the shortest amount of time, with the greatest potential for success.

Panelists will discuss the unique aspects of centuries, double-centuries, multi-day rides and ultramarathon events, to prepare riders physically, mentally, and mechanically for their 2008 cycling season. The panel will feature presentations from:

• Michelle Grainger, Coach and Personal Trainer, Athletic Excellence
• Chris Kostman, Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director,AdventureCORPS
• Jonathan Nicholas, The Oregonian columnist, and Co-Founder, CycleOregon
• George Thomas, Co-Director, Race Across Oregon
• David Rowe (panel moderator), Editorial Director, Ready to Ride

We hope that you will join us at the show and attend the panel. But if you can’t, you are not out of luck. The edited transcript and photographs of the panel will be compiled into an eBook and distributed this spring byRoadBikeRider.com.This eBook will be the second we have published on long distance cycling. The first, also distributed by RoadBikeRider, is titlted A Rider’s Guide to Building the Long Distance Bicycle. It, too, was based on an NAHBS panel discussion.

The show opens on February 8 to the trade. It will be open to consumers on February 9 and 10. NAHBS will feature a battery ofworkshops and seminarsfor those who are active in the custom frame building industry, or just curious about breaking into it. Getting Ready to Ride Centuries and Beyond will run from 11:00am to 12:30pm on Sunday. Visit the NAHBS web site for more information about the show and for advanced ticket purchases.

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